There were numerous "ahh haa" moments in today's lesson that caused me to pause and think for a little. The first striking concept I took away from today's presentation was the realization that, similar to the protagonist, every teacher candidate had challenges to overcome. He was able to relocate and encounter Western society for the first time at the young age of 19.
After my first trip to Vancouver in 2018, what was supposed to be a one-week getaway grew into seven years and counting. I'm excited to share what I've learned about myself every day and will do so whenever the chance arises. The first obstacle I faced was being alone in a new province without immediate family to provide support and direction. I started using community interactions to connect with like-minded people and share concerns and areas of uncertainty. In light of our future roles as educators, we realize that fostering a supportive environment for students is crucial to their success.
During today's talk, Susan pointed out that education is the center of our worlds, and that hit a chord with me as well. I can really identify with this remark because I have a background in business and finance and have always had to hold myself to a high standard of professionalism. This conveys the idea that someone is constantly observing. It becomes part of the Null Curriculum to always manage oneself appropriately, even if I wasn't working that day, since the company might always be watching.
How does that look like? Throughout the three hours of today's lesson, the concept of "sense of responsibility" came up several times. Allowing kids to exercise independent thought in a classroom setting. This idea is related to the example I gave earlier, where my professionalism expertise was derived from both classroom education and real-world job experiences. Students use real-life experiences to make connections to important themes in their real lives as future educators.
Furthermore, Frank McCourt's statement to "drop the act, and be yourself" and "teaching forces you to drop the act" was a crucial component of the film that was shown. I myself battle with this idea on a daily basis because my outlook on life might not align with someone else's. An extremely significant lesson learned is that teaching approaches are shaped in part by lived experiences. McCourt used social environments, such as a bar, to gather ideas about what his real purpose in life was. Students are given the chance to discover their own purpose in life when safe environments are created in classrooms and the surrounding community. I find that going back to my "Happy Place" helps me refocus my life goals and general mental wellness.
